Part 1 Jesus Today-A Spirituality of Radical Freedom

Jesus Today-A Spirituality of Radical Freedom

by Albert Nolan

Part 1

I read this book a couple weeks ago and wanted to sum up some of the powerful points and themes presented.   

Before I start with themes and points, I want to write a little about why this book was written and what its aim is...

Many book are written on faith(s), spirituality, religion(s), etc. This book tries to reveal what Jesus’s personal spirituality was and holds it up as the mark of measurement for all of us-Humankind. The crisis that humankind is now facing needs a spirituality that Jesus offers us. We have not taken the teachings of Jesus seriously and have wandered into a world of individualism, self-centeredness, consumerism, and have either closed our eyes to the effects of our actions or have done so in ignorance and it has brought us to the edge of disaster. The author sees this spirituality as having relevance beyond the church and writes to an audience of Everyone. If we are to follow Jesus then we have to take seriously what is happening in the world around us and the sign of the times. (Mt. 16:3-4)

1. Hunger for Spirituality-The first example given was the book “The Da Vinci Code” and the popularity of the movie and book throughout the world. This is one example of a barometer on where people are at today. People today seem to have much less confidence in the certainties of the past. (scientific, religious, historical and cultural) Everything is now being questioned regardless of the authority. We live in an age of unprecedented skepticism and academics call this attitude of mind “Postmodernism.”

Modernity and Postmodernism

Modernity was the age of reason and began with the Enlightenment with such names as Isaac Newton, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Galileo Galilei, and the list goes on. Contributions by Newton include the law of gravity and Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which lays the foundations for most of classical mechanics. Locke is known as the Father of Liberalism. His theory of mind is often cited as the origin of modern ideas of identity and self. Hobbes published his work Leviathan which established the foundation of much of Western political philosophy from the perspective of appropriate relationship between individuals and their governments. Voltaire wrote extensively about freedom of religion, freedom of expression, free trade, and separation of church and state. Galileo made improvements to the telescope which allowed a greater understanding of planets and he discovered 4 of Jupiter’s moons. He also was a strong advocate of a heliocentric-sun centered universe, as apposed to the geocentric-earth centered universe, which was a strongly held view of the power/wealth elites of the time including the Catholic church. He was called before the Inquisition and was found guilty of heresy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but was able to serve his time under house arrest because of extenuating circumstances (health). 

Postmodernism really gained momentum after the two world wars, many failed communist regimes, and religious scandals. From these events, authority has been undermined in one way or another. In the past, people found security and stability in culture and religion, but with the slow disintegration of cultures throughout the world and with the undermining of religious authority there is less for people to feel secure in. Our age is one of increasing insecurity and it only takes one to look at the news to see the growing fear of war, disease, drugs, and lack of resources due to our depleting of our planets resources. All these things lead to feelings of even more vulnerability and instability.  

One reaction to all of this instability is to try and go back to fundamentalist beliefs to regain our security and stability. You can see this taking place in all of the major world religions. This is a response to try and grasp the illusion of certainty. The other response, which Nolan argues is growing and gaining momentum: the search for an appropriate spirituality. This search can be one of two things. 1. an escape from the current circumstances and insecurities or 2. an authentic search for a spirituality which brings out the best in us. Nolan discusses Thomas Merton’s role in trying to address this  desire and how he points to mysticism as a solution that has increased in our day. Mystics have been thought of as rather odd and eccentric, but today their emphasis on experiencing a oneness with God and all things has an increasing relevance and need. This new spirituality is something that seems to be growing outside of the established religious churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples and is seen as separate from religions even though it is rooted in these traditions. Many people who go to the established religious places of worship have been quick to write this off as “New Age” but as Nolan points out, there is no one coherent spirituality or movement that can carry this label. What is clear and evident is that more young people are attracted to spiritual things without necessarily being attracted to specific dogmas and doctrines. One really good example of this spirituality taking form is in the Taize community/worship where over 100,000 young people make pilgrimage each year to France for prayer, bible study, sharing, and community work. 

Part 2 to come...